Wisdom Devotionals

Food for Thought

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Jesus answered and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” John 6:26-27

When Aristotle Onassis began his illustrious career, he was a 17-year-old refugee with $100 to his name.

By the time he turned 25, he had already earned his first million, along with a widespread reputation.

In his middle-aged years, he made the statement, “All that really counts is money. It’s the people with money who are the royalty now.”

At the height of his career in 1973, he was worth more than $1 billion. He possessed a priceless art collection, immense real estate holdings, and the world’s most luxurious yacht.

During that same year, however, his son was tragically killed. Suddenly, Onassis struggled to find meaning in his enterprise. One of his associates stated in Time Magazine, “He aged overnight. He suddenly became an old man.”

Sadly, he died not long after.

One writer, reviewing his life, wrote this penetrating epitaph:

He continually followed one tenet of his own religion at all costs—to fulfill his own well-being, and yet, he only truly wanted what he could not purchase—the mercy of God.

In John chapter 5, Jesus performed a stunning miracle along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. With only five barley loaves and two pickled fish, He fed a crowd of 20,000 people.

In John 6, this same group of people follows Him all the way to Capernaum to get another free meal. These people are thinking to themselves, “Here’s my ticket to an early Retirement! With this guy as king, I’ll never have to work another day in my life!”

Jesus sees through their motives and says to them, “You seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.”

Think about this indictment. This crowd had just witnessed a miracle on par with manna falling from heaven, yet they don’t even care about the miracle. They just want another meal.

Culture hasn’t changed much in 2,000 years, has it? Like Onassis, the mob still journeys from one enterprise to the next, searching endlessly for a messiah who will satisfy their comforts and appetites. But, like Solomon said in Ecclesiastes, all is vanity.

When you woke up this morning, what got you out of bed? What ambition drove you yesterday? Food? Money? Retirement? Success?

Take some time today to look around your house, classroom, office, gym, and automobile, and gaze at all the trinkets that fill up the space. Then say aloud to yourself, “One day, these things will all decay.”

God has given us the most priceless gift through His precious Son. We can’t buy it. We can’t earn it. But it’s everlasting, and it will never decay.

So don’t get lost in the rat race. Don’t store up treasures on earth and miss the heavenly treasure you already possess. You are a living, breathing miracle of redemption! You have God Himself, through Christ!